


fear of the unknown

by sweetgoodgraciousangel



Category: Original Work
Genre: astra tells elaine that her or thalo are fucking doomed, more at 11, pls be nice to elaine she just wants to keep a friend :(
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-15 18:21:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15418860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetgoodgraciousangel/pseuds/sweetgoodgraciousangel
Summary: “So even if your friend is doomed, I wouldn’t outright blame yourself, and furthermore, there’s nothing you can do to change that. It will happen, whether you intend it to or not, no matter the precautions you take.”





	fear of the unknown

Elaine’s never been curious about the art of fortune telling.

Which is funny - if not odd - to phrase it like that, because she likes _art_ in the many forms it can come in, but the _art_ of fortune telling always seemed like the kind she wouldn't be good at. Yet Elaine was great at the more creative type than anything, and never strayed far from those boundaries. She knew what she liked at the very least. She liked to paint, and the proof was stacked up high in some random corner of her house filled with finished and work in progresses alike, but never has her curiosity been drawn to the rather more transparent definition of _art_ like the ability to see the future. Or fortune readings. If she recalled correctly, her mother had a knack for that sort of thing, but Elaine tampered with it once or twice before she became greatly disinterested.

A rather fancily dressed woman, however, happened to draw her in with the temptation of the unknown after a brief encounter with her earlier in the day. There was the cold press of the strangers palm to hers in a momentary handshake before she was drawn close with a simple tug, and the woman whispered where she would be tonight if she wanted to know her future that badly.

Perhaps that was what drew her to that stranger. The fact that her dilemma and fear of the unknown had been entirely unspoken, but the woman had known it without even knowing her name or past.

That was how Elaine found herself at a discreet house in the back of Honeyfeld, tucked away in some corner of the street she would have never thought to look at. Thalo had been curious as to where she was going, but she merely told him she’d be back in an hour or so. There was an embarrassing aspect to all of it. A witch, having her fortune read… it was as uncomfortable to think of it as it is to actually do it.

The woman sitting with her at the round table though proclaimed at the very beginning of Elaine’s reading that she was _human_ , and made sure that she understood that. Apparently, rumors and accusations weren’t her favorite thing in the world.

Some people had their gifts, she supposed. A human dabbling in magic isn’t uncommon, but…

Her accuracy of the predictions she made, the knowing look on her face… If she hadn’t been told otherwise, Elaine would have believed otherwise. Without magic, how was she so good at this? It was almost scary.

“You’ve been quite the outcast, haven’t you? You’ve braved life on your lonesome. It’s not a tragic tale you have to tell about why it was like that, but rather a destiny that simply found _you_. Such is the way things work most of the time.” The woman stated, the three cards she’d pulled at the beginning still flipped downward on the table. Elaine didn’t have the courage to answer, the breath taken right from her lungs, dropping her eyes to her hands in her lap which were clutching each other out of nervousness.

Hearing that had stung like a strike to the face, and she’d not even hesitated to sugar coat what she already knew to be fact. It was the truth. One that Elaine didn’t like to visit very often and rather liked to believe that Thalo had been with her the majority of the time she’d been alive. It’s what it felt like anyway.

“You never thought it to be fair that you were lonely. You were desperate for some sort of connection with someone. No matter what it took, even if it meant… crafting them, by hand and passion. I digress though.”

She flipped over the first card, revealing an intricate pattern and a beautiful illustration.

“The Hanged Man. Your past. You did everything you could to battle off the sadness you felt, the feeling of being alone forever. You were outgoing - perhaps more than _anyone_ \- but still found yourself alone at night. You cried out of heartache. Why should that have been brought upon you? Fate never gives answers, and it never has to.”

And Elaine still had nothing to say, her expression dropping into something a lot more pained. The woman clicked her tongue, not necessarily demeaning her for the fact she was too stunned to say anything, but rather satisfied with her accuracy.

So she moved on.

“That is not you now, yes? You’ve found someone. Or rather, you made him to find _you_ . It may have taken tricks, and you resorted to giving another piece of yourself away, but finally, you’ve _found_ someone. He understands you. He’s a kind person.”

That smile finally dropped from her lips. The woman derived no happiness from the tales of Elaine’s agony, but it had to be said.

“You’re afraid what might happen to him if you’re careless. This time, what you gave away wasn’t something small. It wasn’t something that you can take back. If you lose it - or _he_ loses it - you’re both done for.”

She flipped the middle card over, and despite the brutal truth from before, this card seemed happier than the last.

“Four of Wands. Given its positioning as upright, it’s a positive meaning. You’re happy now. You’re content with the way your life has changed. You needed that one person there beside of you to complete it. An everlasting friendship.”

That was all true too. Now that Thalo was apart of her life, she’d never been more happy before. They were the best of friends, so close Elaine felt like they were family. She’s been so careful all these years to be sure nothing bad happened to him. His life, as sad as it is (and as much fear struck her at the thought), is as fragile as something could come. And she’d do anything to prevent that from ending.

The woman was still frowning though as her fingers just barely grazed the final card on the table. There was hesitation on her face, but she visibly gulped it away. Better to finish this out as honestly as she could, but sometimes, people didn’t like to hear the candor of their future. Not everything was a happy ending, and anyone who’s lived long enough would know that. Polished fairytales tailored for children to listen to and dream of were as false as something could come. That happiness was as good as a distant dream.

Elaine’s unwillingness to bite back about everything she’s said so far must have been worrying her, but she did this out of curiosity. She made the choice to come and ask about what was waiting for her. She finally couldn’t bear not to know any longer. Was this her being a fool? Was she as naive as people could come? Was she so pathetic, she really had to create a person to have a friend? The thoughts haunted her every day, despite the fact Thalo did his best to distract her from them.

With no more delaying, she turned the last card over, and both of their expressions dropped.

“...Death.”

Elaine felt her lower lip tremble. She’d been biting back tears this entire reading, but the simple sight of the card made her break. A tear rolled down her cheek, and silently she wiped it away with the back of her hand. Her glasses were slowly fogging up, so she took them off. It made it harder to see the card and woman in front of her, but frankly, she wanted nothing to do with either of them now. This was so pointless, she shouldn’t have even bothered -

“I wouldn’t want you to panic so quickly,” she said. “The meanings of these cards can be read in many ways. For example, death can mean the simple end of a cycle.”

The phrasing didn’t make it any better, but the fact she’s not jumping to outright deny any death actually happening only made her fear the worst. She’d gotten everything right before, so why would she have any reason to doubt her now?

The fact that it simply took demolishing Thalo’s painting to kill him…

It was almost funny how she didn’t even consider that the one who could die could very much be herself.

“You’re not a failure,” The woman suddenly said, and Elaine blinked at her in confusion. She hadn’t even said anything.

“You’re anything but. Sometimes, people just like to rush fate where it doesn’t need to be. It will take its time where it wants. You can’t change that. I can’t change that.”

She swallowed harshly.

“So even if your friend is doomed, I wouldn’t outright blame yourself, and furthermore, there’s nothing you can do to change that. It will happen, whether you intend it to or not, no matter the precautions you take.”

**Author's Note:**

> let elaine have a friend and not worry for once 2k18


End file.
